Hi Gareth,
I've just tried this in aem-sightly-repl:
<!DOCTYPE html> <html data-sly-use.ie8conditional="${'libs.granite.sightly.templates.ClientLibUseObject' @ categories='apps.geometrixx-outdoors.desktop', mode='css'}"> <head> <!--[if lte IE 8]> ${ie8conditional.include @ context='unsafe'} <![endif]--> <title>Conditional tags</title> </head> <body> <h2>It Works!</h2> </body> </html>The output looks like what you need:
<!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <!--[if lte IE 8]> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/social/recommend/recommend_social/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/profilelinkprovider/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_subscription_management/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_social_profile/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_sidebar_right/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_sidebar_render_together/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_sidebar/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_profile/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_newquestion/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_newcommunity/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_editanswer/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_company/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page_communities/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page/userinfo/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page/topnav/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page/search/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/etc/clientlibs/foundation/commerce/desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/page/breadcrumb/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/nav_products/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/colctrl/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/activities_page/userinfo/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/activities_page/topnav/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/activities_page/search/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/activities_page/colctrl/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/activities_page/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://forums.adobe.com/apps/geometrixx-outdoors/components/activities_page/breadcrumb/clientlibs_desktop.css" type="text/css"> <![endif]--> <title>Conditional tags</title> </head> <body> <h2>It Works!</h2> </body> </html><!--cq{"decorated":false,"type":"repl/components/repl","path":"/content/repl/jcr:content","selectors":"template","servlet":"Script /apps/repl/components/repl/template.html","totalTime":5,"selfTime":5}-->
